Supporting strut



33.11.111, 1949. Q TURNBULLn 2,458,808

SUPPORTING STRUT Filed June 2. 1944 Patented Jan. 11, 1949 SUPPORTINGSTRUT Glen 0. Turnbull, Rock Island, Ill., assgnor to InternationalHarvester Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application June 2, 1944,Serial No. 538,461

4 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved supporting strut designedprimarily for supporting implements in stand-by condition-that is,implements which are stored when not being used.

The invention has for its object to provide, in a manner as hereinafterset forth, an extendible supporting strut adapted to be permanentlyattached to the frame structure of an implement to be supported. Aplurality -of struts may be utilized if desired although the implementmay be partially supported on its own frame structure and partially onthe struts of the invention. It is the intention to carry the strut onthe implement when it is used-for example, attached to a tractor orother` wheel-supporting structure. The struts are then always availablewhenever the implement is to be removed or whenever it is ydesired tosupport a portion or all of its weight on the supporting struts.

To the above ends and to others which may hereinafter appear, theinvention consists of the novel construction and arrangement of parts aswill be more speciiically referred to and which are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the outline of a corn-picker structureshowing one of the supporting struts of the invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarge-d view of the attaching strut shown in Figure 1with the supporting member in collapsed or lifted position;

Figure 3 is an enlarged view at right angles to the views of Figures 1and 2, showing the securing means of the strut in section;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the strut shown in Figure 1 with a portion ofthe attaching frame structure of the implement also being shown.

In Figure 1 of the drawings, a harvester unit I of a conventional typeutilized for gathering corn from standing stalks, is illustrated. Saidunit is adapted to be mounted on a tractor as shown, for example, inUnited States Patent No. Re. 22,279, March 2, 1943. As the tractor towhich said units or implements are attached is used for other purposes,it is desirable to remove the implements from the tractor and store theimplements until they are again needed. In an implement of the typeillustrated, the Weight of the implement may rest partially on a portionof the implement frame structure. However, in order to locate theimplement so that it may be readily applied to the tractor, it isnecessary to support a portion of the implement on struts, jacks, or

other supporting means. The struts forming this invention areparticularly designed for this purpose.

The frame structure of the harvester unit I0 includes a longitudinallyextending member II and a transversely extending, tubular member I 2. Asupporting strut embodying the invention may be connected permanently tothe member I2 as shown in the drawings n A channel-shaped member,indicated generally by the reference character I3, has a verticalportion I4 and two spaced, horizontal portions I5 connected to thevertical portions I4. Said portions I5 are formed at their terminatingends with semi-.circular notches I5*3L which are adapted to embrace avertical cylindrical strut member I6. The notches I5a have flattenedside portions Iiib which engage the strut I6 at circumferentially spacedpoints. Said strut member may be a hollow pipe or a solid shaft havingsufcient strength to support the weight of the implement which it is tocarry. A second channel-shaped member, indicated in its entirety by theAreference character I1, is fitted within the channel-shaped member I3.Said second channel-shaped member has a vertical `portion I8 and twospaced, horizontally-extending portions I9 connected to the portion I 8.The portions I9 are provided with aligned circular openings 20' of adiameter somewh-at larger than the outside diameter of the strut memberI6. Said portions are preferably hardened to assure their biting intothe member I6 and to prevent wear which might render the deviceinoperative or liable to slip. The side portions I5b of the notches I5aand the contacting points of the lportions I9 form a three point grip onthe strut member I6,

The channel-shaped members I3 and Il are provided with aligned openings2| in their vertical portions I4 and I8. A bolt 22 is provided with ahead 23 seated within the channel member Il' and abutting the innersurface of the vertical portion I8 thereof. Said bolt extends throughopenings ZI and is provided'with an adjustable nut 24, a key 25 beingprovided at the end of the bolt to prevent loss of the nut 24. Inthe useof the supporting strut as above described, it is normally carriedduring operation of the implement in the position shown in Figure 2. Asin that position there is no vertical load on the member IE, the nut 24may be tightened to assure that the strut member remains in position.When the implement is to be supported in the position shown in Figure 1,the nut 24 is loosened sufficiently to allow the strut member I6 to beslid downwardly to ground-engaging position. Any type of ground-engagingfoot having the required area for the load to be supported may beutilized. As illustrated, a foot member 26 is secured to a ball endportion 2l' provided at the lower end of the strut member I6. To placein position for varying the load, thev strut member IB is merely pusheddownwardly into ground-engaging position. As soon as"loa`d isapplied,theinner channel'member I1 is cocked, without appreciable limitation by theshort horizontal positions I5 which terminate short of the overhangingportions I9 as illustrated in Figure 3, whereby the horizontal por tionsI9 bite into the cylindicalsurface of "the member I6, holding any loadwhich maybe applied thereto. The principle of this type of hold ingdevice is conventional, being :.usedin :many arts. Applicant, however,has provided .an im proved simplified form utilizing two engaging meansformed in a single sheet metal structure.

vSaid Lstructure is given the 'necessary lsupport 4to"carrythe-l-oadfbymeans off theE surrounding chan- Anel member I3. Bymeans of this arrangement,

` free to cock vfor "gripping'the shaft.

a simpleeffective holding means'is provided 'whichwillswpport-thelloadapplied'thereto. vSaid structure iis particularlyadapted V-to Vimplements "or the time and which requiresnoadjustment'vafter,

"'itiseXtended--into functioningposition.

'Itistobev understood that-'the drawings show only a ,preferred:embodiment Vof Qthe invention,

and "that applicant "claims as his invention all appendedy claims.

'What is"c1a'.ir ne'd` is 1. Aholdingmeans forja cylindrical shaftcomthrough said notches and in yengagement with said sidegportiorrs, 'yasecond `U`fshaped member ntted' within the.` 'ii'rst' .and being of "fan overall lwidtlislightilyless thanjthe'inside 'width `of the iir'stmember, said second member having alined circular 'openings'throughiwhichr saidshaft `pro- `jects, said. openingslbeing 'slightlylarger in diameter than" thediameter of the Shaft, the.` spaced portionsaround the'notches iof the frst mentioned' U'shaped memberbeingpositioned to form threepoint,,grips onthe1shaftfwith the openings inthesecond `Ushaped membergand meansfor holding the two members-,togetherconsisting of a headed element and a "nut'threaded thereon whereby. the'relativegpositions` of the two' mem- `bers ymaybe adjusted.

.2. 'A'*supportingstrut` including a vertical shaft, a channel-shapedsheet metal member having spaced horizontal. portions formed withsemicircular notches at their open sides and a verticalconnectingportion, said shaft 5 resting in said notches, means forconnecting said member to a structure to. be supportedV by said strut, asecond Ychannel-shaped member loosely` fitted within'the rst, and havingspaced` horizontal portions of an over-all width slightlyless .than theinside vdistance 'between the horizontal portions of therst member, saidhorizontal.l3ortions being provided withalinedfcircular*openingsthroughwhich said changes, hvariations,-andmddifications whichmay beresorted tom'rhich all""within thescope of the portion.

3. A supporting strut including a vertical shaft, a channel-shaped sheetmetal member having spaced horizontal portions formed with semicircularnotches at their open sides and a vertical 4connecting portion, 'saidshaft resting in said notches-meansior connecting said member to astructure to be supported by said strut, a second lchannel-shaped'member loosely tted within the rst and having spaced horizontalportions of an over-all `width slightlyless than the inside distancebetween the horizontal portions of the rst member, said horizontalportions being .provided with aligned*circularopeningsf through whichsaid shaftA projects, saidopenings Vbeingy slightly larger in diameterthan the diameter of the :shaft whereby slightcocking .action of Vthe vhorizontal Yportionsof the second `channel-shaped member permittedfby-the loose i lit in the -rst mentioned Channel lnfiernberflocks -thesecond-l channel -mein-- 'ber to the shaft in load-carryingposition,\and "adjustable 'means for holding -the twochannelshapedv.elements `together and to ypermit slight Arelativemovement of therespectivespacedhorizontalportion.

- 4. A supportingV strut including a'verticalsha'ft, a channel-shapedsheet `metal lmember lhaving nspaced -horizontal portions formed v-vvithsemicirvcular-notchesat 'their openlsidesand a'vertical rconnectingportion, sai'd shaft resting in :said notches, means forconnectingsaid-member to-'a structure 'tol be supported by said strut,ya second d channel-shaped -memberlooselyftted within the Arsttmd*havingspaced horizontal-'portions pro- `vided `with -alined Acircularlopenings through which 'sai-deshaftprojects =anda vertical portionconnecting `the nhorizontal portions, said openings being slightlylarger in diameter than-the diameter of .the shaft whereby slight,cooking action lof the Ihorizontal Vportions of --theesecondchannel-shaped memberlpermittedby the'looset in theA rst,mentioned;channel-memberlocks the second Ychannel memberftotheshaftrinloadcarrying position, isaid vertic'algportions lbeing Yprovided `with,aligned ,fopen-ingisyand means extending. through said openings holding'the l two members together and "to'permitslight `relative movement ofthe respective ,spaced lhorizontal GLEN 1o. u'rnnrnannn The followingreferences vfile of-this patent:

1 UNITED; :STATES @PATENTS are- 4 oi.r record, in the L Number 1- Name'Ilate .487,770 Proctor ,-MQDecLIBg11892 1,235,613 'Nandergrift..- zLAug-1fLil9l'7 1,260,826 Somers, -.Mar;26, .1918 11,315,621 Barlow.,',Sept.`9,j,l91,9 1,800,641 Johnson Q --Apr., 14,1531 2,162,1814iSkinner ..1June13; .1939 2,27 1,194 Ingwer et al sul 'lanllZi 194.2

